vex
Legend
Why in the hell are idiots bumping 8 year old threads?
Is Djokovic the most athletic tennis player in history?
- Thread starter tennisMVP
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daggerman
Hall of Fame
Well, it's hard to say for sure who is more flexible, but having watched Djokovic and Monfils play hundreds of matches, I disagree that Monfils is as flexible as Djokovic.
skaj
Legend
It is hard to say for sure who is more flexible but whoever has the edge, they are in the same league when it come to flexibility. I too have watched them play hundreds of matches. And the height is easy to say for sure.
The crucial difference is how they use the flexibility in their play. How many balls has Monfils hit that you'd say, 'That's not possible with a less flexible body'? I don't recall Monfils hitting any such shots! Djokovic has hit many such shots! Monfils made many shots possible with his speed (which probably is the best in tennis), but not his flexibility!
Znak
Hall of Fame
Doesn't Nadal have V02 max of 75 or something really high like that? I remember reading that somewhere
EDIT: it's 85 — https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-french-open-dominance-even-after-aussie-loss
EDIT: it's 85 — https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-french-open-dominance-even-after-aussie-loss
Last edited:
vex
Legend
My bad man.
skaj
Legend
Yes, but that's a different topic. True, Monfils is (even)faster so he can get to many balls without stretching. I just made a comment about other players being as flexible as Djokovic(not many of them of course), not about how they use their flexibility.
skaj
Legend
His balance is actually not that great. And there are others who are as good - Noah, Mecir, Gerulaitis, Cash...
Dustin Brown I always thought was a great athlete, and of the newer players Auger-Aliassime.
For the most athletic of them all, I can't choose anyone else but Monfils - the power, the speed, the flexibility, the jumps, the acrobatics... Followed by Nadal, Borg. Novak is up there of course, top10 for sure if not top5.
D
Deleted member 765728
Guest
Cool list, but I would exclude Lendl. He was a hard-working man, but never among the best athletes.
nolefam_2024
Bionic Poster
Nadal is. The start and stop of Clay tennis takes as much athleticism as anything. He is best slider on clay, his vertical movement is better than Djokovic, he can hit the backhand smash and take low dropshots really well. He can defend from 20 feet behind baseline very well.
Federer has some of the skills but not as good as Nadal. Novak side to side movement is better but vertical movement not better than nadal.
Federer has some of the skills but not as good as Nadal. Novak side to side movement is better but vertical movement not better than nadal.
jersey34tennis
Professional
On clay Nadal
on grass Sampras
On hardcourt Rafter or Monfils
on grass Sampras
On hardcourt Rafter or Monfils
skaj
Legend
I would look in the direction of the family.
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